Video Premiere: “Ol’ Slew Foot” by Mark Lavengood

“I remember hearing this song first from a YouTube video of the Telluride House Band with Sam Bush leading the tune, joined by Bela Fleck, Stuart Duncan, Jerry Douglas and Edgar Meyer. It was a burner!” says Michigan-based dobro master Mark Lavengood of “Ol’ Slew Foot.” “The energy was so high it was contagious.”

On May 11th, Lavengood released his rootsy new album, We’ve Come Along, his third solo effort. Today, he unleashes a one-of-a-kind new video of his fiery interpretation of the song. The video for “Ol’ Slew Foot”was recorded in Grand Rapids, Michigan (for the geographically challenged, look at your right hand, which is similar to the shape of The Wolverine State, and Grand Rapids is a little south of your pinky); the beginning of the video features Lavengood himself in a bear suit running around local shops and small businesses throughout the city. We are transported to the shores of Lake Michigan (left of your pinky on the hand map), in which Lavengood chases the bear around in hot pursuit, wearing his signature short shorts, as the bear steals his dobro and runs away. While silliness and friendship ensues, there’s no denying this video highlights some of the finest bluegrass flat-picking the state of Michigan has to offer.

This weekend, our hero will finish off a solid stretch of album release shows in Michigan with a show at the prestigious, nationally-acclaimed listening room, The Ark in Ann Arbor (right above your wrist on the pointer finger side); Lavengood will also provide opening support for Greensky Bluegrass at their annual Bell’s Beer Garden show in Kalamazoo (right above your wrist on the pinky side), and will tour with Lindsay Lou & the Flatbellys, making appearances at national festivals like Telluride Bluegrass Festival, Grey Fox, Red Wing Roots Music Festival, Sisters Folk Fest, and Romp.

Without further ado, Mother Church Pew proudly presents “Ol’ Slew Foot,” the new video from Mark Lavengood: